Grey Roses
by Lass Cherrie
Summary: DISCONTINUED. / Meet Miyu. A normal human. That is, until she suffers an allergic reaction to the Night Class, transfers into the wealthiest academy in the province, and gets caught in the crossfire of two dangerous enemies. And now she has two options: train... or turn.
1. Brewing Misfortune

**Hey, Fictioners!**

**So. This is my first Vampire Knight fic EVAR. While I'm not a rookie for the site anymore, it's been a good few months since I last had proper contact with VK, so please forgive me if the two characters used in this chapter seem a tad OOC. I've sort of forgotten the exact characteristics of their personalities.**

**Anyway. I'm trying something new. I've written 12 stories for my normal fandom, but wanted to branch out. So I headed to VK :)**

**If you're reading this, please drop me a review. I'd love to know if this is up to scratch with the normal VK story expectations :s**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight. If I did, there would be no incest in the anime. ZERO/YUKI FOREVER.**

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**Grey Roses**

Brewing Misfortune

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The house was quiet.

I unlocked the front door and bumped it open with my hip, fighting my way into the tiny, dark kitchen, plastic bags filled with the week's groceries dangling from my arms. I flicked the light on, and it shone dimly before blowing with a sharp snap. I heaved a tired sigh, grumbling to myself and struggling over to the little wooden table in the corner, dumping the bags on it.

The old, dusty answering machine flashed quietly in the corner. I edged my way over to it, trying to avoid colliding with any chairs in the dark, and bashed around for a bit, until my fingers hit the right button, and a voice started speaking.

"Hi, I hope this is the number for the Naibun residence. It's Cross Kaien from Cross Academy, just calling to let you know that we received your application, and have decided to accept. You'll need to be in the foyer at five o'clock this evening..."

I stopped dead in my tracks (I'd been estimating the location of the refrigerator, with the intention of reheating yesterday's leftovers for dinner), my mouth dropping open. He left the address of the place, and I started, scrabbling for the tattered pad I knew would be lying next to the phone, just managing to scribble it down before the message ended.

Five o'clock.

_Five o'clock?! _It had just gone four-thirty!

With a strangled yelp, I ran for the door, whacking my hip against the frame and hobbling into the narrow hall. Massaging it furiously, I felt around for the light switch, flicking it on and barrelling down to my room.

The one advantage of living in possibly the tiniest flat ever built was that I could make it to any room in under ten seconds. This made getting ready when running late much easier, a fact I was extremely grateful for as I threw open my bedroom door.

It was messy today; I hadn't cleaned it yet. The old futon in the corner hadn't been remade, and my duvet and pyjamas were a messy ball lying atop it. Clothes spilled out of the little chest-of-drawers against the wall, and the yellowed blind hadn't been drawn, so it was dim, and smelled a bit musty. My school books were piled haphazardly in a stack on the floor, threatening to topple over. A small mountain of odd shoes was the only thing preventing this from happening.

Clenching the wad of paper between my teeth, I pulled the drawers further open, tucking my black hair behind my ear as it fell into my face, determined, as always, to get in the way. No matter what I did to it, it was always – _always – _a horrendous tangle, falling down my back and over my shoulders. I'd long since given up on it.

The light from the low-watt bulb in the roof was enough for me to be able to identify the plain black t-shirt and bell-bottom black pants I was looking for. Grabbing them in my arms, I pushed the drawers shut with my bottom (well, as shut as they would go; a lot of the clothing hanging over the sides got in the way), already yanking my uniform off with one hand.

Ignoring the fact that he hadn't provided me with a specific dress code, I dragged on the clothes and grabbed an elastic band from the ex-tissue box beside the futon. I'd cut the top of it out and now used it for storage purposes. Saved wasting precious money I didn't have. I threw my hair up in a ponytail, ignoring its valiant attempts to protest, and loosely pinned back the bangs that immediately tumbled into my face.

_Ha! Nice try. But not cunning enough._

Grabbing my school blazer, I ran back out into the hall, pulling my arms through the sleeves as I returned to the front door. I was yanking on my school shoes when I remembered the groceries on the table in the kitchen.

_Oh well. I'll have to sort them later._

Ripping the top sheet off the pad, I tossed the wad into the kitchen and headed outside, locking the door behind me. I ran down the narrow set of concrete steps leading up to the flat, around the side of the apartment block, where my faded red bicycle was resting against the wall. I wheeled it to the sidewalk, clambered into a sitting position and took off down the street.

Cross Academy. Of course I knew where it was; everyone did. I'd never been there, though, so finding its exact location would probably be a bit of a problem, even though I'd be able to see it when I crested the hill in a few moments.

And there it was, the magnificent brown castle, sitting out on its personal island like a breath of eighteenth century history in the twenty-first century world, surrounded by glittering waters, and protected from the rest of modern society by a thick wall of forest. The exceedingly long bridge connecting the island to the mainland was starkly void of movement. There was no-one on it.

Pushing off from where I'd stopped, I whizzed down the steep slope, heading into the busier streets of the town. Surprisingly, after only ten or fifteen minutes of searching, I was hurtling down the bridge, the ocean wind buffering me from either side, salty on my lips. I gazed out over the glittering water as I pedalled. The sun was starting to set; the sky slowly burning red-orange and tinging the ocean peachy-golden. It was beautiful.

But it wouldn't take my breath away as much as the castle I was rapidly approaching, which I had wondered on many an occasion how it could possibly call itself a 'school'. In my opinion, it was much better suited, with its whispered lavish furnishing and exquisite architecture, for a family of ancient royals.

Which, I guess, thinking about it as the enormous, black twined gates creaked open slowly to permit me entrance to the campus, it sort of did. The students I would be mingling with this evening were all born into the highest aristocratic society in the province, or so the rumours said, anyway. I, myself had certainly never been fortunate enough to meet any of them before, and they were a very reclusive bunch. They never strayed from the grounds, and no-one ever saw them on the streets of town. Yes... They were a very mysterious bunch, the rich students of Cross Academy.

I was incredibly curious to see what lay behind the gates.

I hopped off my bike after pedalling madly down the dirt path twisting through the dark forest (if I'd had more time, I'd have noticed how spooky the place was), wheeling it towards a set of stone steps that had been carved into the side of a hill. Atop the hill loomed the enormous castle, like something out of a medieval movie. I sighed heavily, and forced myself to begin the climb, my bike rattling noisily as I bumped its wheels up the steps.

Finally, I reached level ground, and was met by a high archway built into an equally high brick wall that encircled the grounds. The large, intricate oak doors had been thrown open, and I wheeled my bike through, wondering vaguely whether the wall was meant to keep _out_, or keep _in_, and who it could be intended for, in either case.

The thought was driven from my mind as my eyes fell upon the main school building. Tall and impressive, built out of aged brown stone and decorated with turrets, arched windows, and very traditional trellises, it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. It totally kicked the butts of the castles in the Disney movies. Golden light shone from behind stained-glass, which took the place of normal panes in the windows, and the huge doors were carved mahogany. Truly, truly magnificent. Rose bushes lined the base of the stone castle, bathed in the light from the bottom floor of windows.

For one crazy moment, I felt like a princess in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, arriving for the ball.

Then the reality of why I was there (and my pitiful place in the social hierarchy) kicked in, and I urged my bike onwards, wondering where to leave it. In the end, realising how little time I had left before I'd officially be running late, I dumped it on the grassy lawn out the front and ran up the few wide steps to the doors. Lifting the heavy, brass knocker, I banged several times, my heart pounding in my chest as I awaited a response.

After several moments, one door creaked ajar, and a girl peered out with wide eyes. I started speaking before she had a chance to question me.

"Hi, I'm here for the–"

Before I could finish, the girl pulled the door wider with a smile, and I slipped inside, gazing around as I did. The marble floors shone under our feet. The white walls were lined with gleaming suits of armour and stone pillars adorned with marble trimming. It was... like something outof _Harry Potter. _

"This way," the girl called over her shoulder. I was relieved to see she was dressed like I was; in a plain black top and black pants. Her brown hair was tied in a low ponytail, like mine. "I'm Kana, by the way."

"Miyu," I replied absently, trailing after her, still swept away by the splendour of the entrance hall. My manners gave my brain a good slap, and I dragged my eyes away from the oak staircase lined with rich, blood red carpet to look at her and smile. She was probably about my age. "Naibun Miyu."

She led me over to a group of about eight or so girls, all dressed in a similar fashion to me. We were standing around, making awkward small-talk, when the man we were all waiting for finally made his appearance.

"Welcome!" he cried, striding towards us from the staircase, dressed in a khaki trench coat and a ridiculously thick scarf, which trailed along behind him. "I'm Chairman Cross. It's nice to see you're all here."

He beamed around at us, his eyes friendly behind the frames he wore. His long blondish hair hung down his back in a messy ponytail. It seemed the wide smile on his face was something permanent, seeing it didn't look like it planned on budging any time soon.

"Now, the kitchens are this way," he explained, leading us down a short corridor with an arched roof, and through a disappointingly normal door, into a room with a white tiled floor and many white marble islands, around which chefs dressed in white were busy at work, their hands rapidly sifting or stirring or mixing as they prepared the countless dishes – no doubt delicious – that would be consumed later in the evening.

"And down here," Chairman Cross continued merrily, bouncing along on the balls of his feet as he led us further down the corridor, "is your entrance to the hall. Please just use this door; it gets horribly confusing with all the entrances we have."

He smiled brightly at us and opened the door.

It was the most beautiful, the most breathtaking, the most _exquisite _and lavish room I'd ever been in. Coincidentally, it was also the largest. A polished dance floor sprawled before us, shining in the dazzling fractured light cast by the several enormous chandeliers suspended from the roof by thick, black chains. A buffet table lined one wall, covered by thick white table cloths. A balcony ran around the edge of the room, supported by round marble pillars trimmed with gold – no doubt real, too. The windows were high and arched, their clear panes practically sparkling, they were so clean.

I imagined the scene from _Anastasia, _where she fabricated all those glittering royals dancing around the ball room in sweeping gowns of all hues, and refrained from smiling. I couldn't wait to see the people who would fill this room in a short while. Surely they had to be rich and beautiful if they were worthy of celebrating in a place like this.

~o~

The food was done. Voices floated down the corridor from behind the door to the ball room, which meant the guests were ready. I took one of the black aprons being passed around and tied it around my waist, re-pinning a few strands of hair that had escaped from their confinement.

Then the head chef started bellowing, and we scuttled back into the kitchen from where we'd been huddling in the hall. I waited with Kana and another girl, Ume, until we were handed our huge trays. Struggling under the weight, we made our way down to the door and cautiously balanced the silver platters of food as we crossed the marble floor to the buffet tables, weaving carefully between clusters of guests.

I set the tray down with a relieved sigh, before eagerly turning to examine the party-goers.

If I'd been blown away by the magnificence of the castle, and of its luxurious halls and furnishings, it was _nothing _to my expression now as I gazed at the guests loitering everywhere. They were... beyond beautiful. Each was tall and slender, with porcelain skin and rich, dark eyes. They were painfully gorgeous; looking at them was such a reminder of my own plainness (black hair, pasty skin, unexciting hazel eyes, and a rather small, stubby nose) that it was almost too much to bear.

They chatted calmly in polite undertones, their postures relaxed though perfect, exuding a calm superiority like nothing I'd ever experienced. All of them were dressed in the same snow-white uniform, fitted to compliment their exquisite figures, and trimmed black, with red ribbons tied in perfect bows under their black collars.

Each was more beautiful than the last, and yet more beautiful than the next. I felt like I was standing in a room full of models, then argued that these Beautiful People – whoever they were – were probably more stunning than models, if it were even possible.

"Miyu," Kana hissed, snatching my attention back from where it was focused on a girl with golden locks weaved in a lovely braid down her back, and eyes the colour of emeralds.

I started, remembering my place, and quickly followed her back to the kitchen. We were strictly meant to be keeping a low-profile. That's what caterers did; they were the shadows of the festivities, who slipped around, unnoticed, ensuring the food and drink was in constant supply, and the mess cleared away before it could even be made.

I'd been working at various catering events for a while now, picking up jobs whenever and wherever I could, to pay the bills and keep my tiny refrigerator filled. I couldn't afford to mess up at functions like these – especially when they paid so well – so I regretfully dragged myself away from the glamour and returned to work, despite how much I wished to content myself with merely observing such a spectacular collection of people.

As fate would have it, though, my messing up seemed to be a pre-destined thing, set in motion long before I resolved to keep myself out of trouble (my clumsiness was the cause of my undoing on many an occasion). Carrying my third heavy tray into the hall, I carefully dodged and weaved among the guests, picking what seemed to be the safest and most direct route to the buffet table. Before I could register what was happening, however, my foot had hooked on something solid and I was flying forwards. The tray crashed to the floor, sending hot food flying everywhere, and I landed in an ungraceful heap, taking someone else down with me, as it quickly became apparent.

"Ow!"

"Oh my gosh!" I gasped, feeling my cheeks immediately burning as I picked myself up from the floor. The hip I'd bumped earlier this afternoon ached and protested, but I ignored it, mortified at having collided with one of the gorgeous people.

Sprawled out beside me, soup stains trailed all down the front of his perfectly un-creased white uniform, was a long-limbed boy with fluffy golden hair, and brilliant azure eyes that in any other circumstance would probably have been able to melt me where I sat, but, on this occasion, were glaring so furiously that I wanted to shrivel up and die. He'd been knocked over very ungraciously, and yet he managed to look like he was posing for a photo shoot; propped up on one elbow, with one knee slightly bent as he lounged irritably on the floor.

"I'm sorry!" I gushed, scrambling to a more decent position and nervously flattening my apron. I couldn't meet his eyes, I was too horrified at my own clumsiness.

"Watch where you're going!" he snapped harshly, his voice still somehow managing to sound as smooth as velvet, like melted chocolate. I blushed redder.

"I-I'm sorry..."

Without looking up at him, though conscious that he was extracting himself from the mess I'd created (and even more conscious of the silence that had descended upon the ball room, and the feeling of dozens of pairs of eyes upon me) I began hastily reaching for everything, trying to scoop it back onto the tray before I could attract too much attention to myself. Of course, being all unique silverware, it clashed together horribly, echoing loudly as the sounds bounced off the walls.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" the boy continued, and amid my rushed mortification, a part of my brain registered the distinct youth in his voice.

_Holy crap! They're not... they're not the _students_?!_

I cringed under his fury, wishing a huge hole would open up in the floor and swallow me.

"I... I-I am so, _so _sorry," I muttered, keeping my voice low despite the noise I was making with my shaking hands. I was going to get fired. I was going to forfeit getting paid for this evening, which didn't bother me considering how much I'd ruined their soirée, but the thought of a night wasted made my stomach churn.

"Yeah, well, you should be!" the blonde boy huffed, and I glanced up at him without thinking, my eyes catching his. I froze. I couldn't help it. There was just something mesmerising in those pools of brilliant blue, something magical and enchanting. They were, without a doubt, more enticing than any pair of eyes I could have ever dreamed about. They were _beautiful. _

"Here," he muttered, glancing away from me, unfazed. He reached for one of the bulbous, silver lids, dropping it sourly on the tray. That snapped me from my stupor. Stammering yet another pathetic apology, I hastily reached for a silver fork – coincidentally the same one he reached for. For one fraction of a moment, our fingers brushed.

I ripped my hand away, but I'd still made enough contact to be sure that the strange spark still tingling through my arm wasn't a figment of my imagination. It was like a tiny zap of static, but it jolted through my fingers. My vision immediately blurred, and I stared at him, shocked.

To my alarm, his blue eyes widened.

As fast as the spontaneous moment had come, it was gone, and we were left staring at each other like idiots. A quiet murmur swept through the other guests – students? – and I turned to clean up before I could embarrass myself any further.

"You should watch where you're walking, Aidou-san," a deep, calm voice spoke from above, and I snapped my head up. Somehow, in such a miraculously short amount of time, and without making a single noise, a startlingly tall, slender boy had materialised beside the blonde boy, his rich brown hair falling into his eyes, which smouldered a dark mahogany.

"Kaname-senpai," the boy acknowledged quickly, shooting bolt upright and clambering to his feet with an elegance I knew I would never have. To my surprise, the blonde boy – Aidou, it seemed – inclined his head respectfully, stepped back to place a distinct distance between them. The newcomer turned his red-brown eyes to me, surveying me with an odd intensity. If I hadn't been blushing enough, my face now felt like it was on fire.

"Are you okay?" he murmured, each word clear even though he hardly parted his thin lips.

"Y-yes," I heard myself stammer. "I'm sorry."

_Is that all you can say? 'Sorry'? Pathetic, Miyu!_

"Think nothing of it," he assured me calmly, offering out one pale, long-fingered hand. Too meek to refuse his assistance, I accepted it, allowing myself to be hauled up neatly from the ground. The moment our hands connected, that same bolt of static electricity zapped through me, and I dropped his hand like I'd been stung, reeling as the immediate dizziness pounded my brain.

"What's wrong with her?" I heard the blonde boy ask curiously, amongst the wave of murmurs building among the other students. I didn't catch what the other, taller boy said in response; my ears suddenly felt blocked, like I was in a soundproof room. My brain whirling, the ballroom swirled into a blaze of undeterminable colours, and I subconsciously felt myself tipping backwards.

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**This is hopefully going to span out into a nice chapter fic, centred around Miyu, as you can see XD**

**Yes, she's an OC, but OCs are my forte, and I've got a neat little story for her :) :)**

**I don't plan on it being too huge; maybe 10-15 chapters. We shall see.**

**Thank you, everyone who read. If you're feeling generous, a review would be _extremely appreciated._**

**Until the next chapter,**

**Cherrie xx**


	2. Threatening Encounter

**Hey, Fictioners!**

**So, we meet again :) I aim to update this story twice a week if I can. Hopefully Sundays and Thursdays, so keep your eyes posted if you're interested :D**

**I want to take a second here to thank last chapter's reviewers:  
**crystalgardian**, **vampireluver1613**, and the anonymous kids **hehe**, **Lumi**, and** Shaun The Sheep**. Thanks a bunch! This update's for you guys :)**

**Oh, someone mentioned last chapter that Miyu should be paired with Kaname (if anyone agrees with this, let me know!) ... So there's some insinuation in there for you. Hope you're reading ;)**

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**Grey Roses**

Threatening Encounter

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I opened my eyes.

The room was dark around me; dark roof, dark walls. The sky outside the high window on my right was dark, too. And it was very, very quiet.

I took a slow breath in through my nose, rewinding my memory to the last image before the roof above me. Something in my mind was jogged; I knew it had something to do with that enormous ballroom I was working in tonight... Last night? A few nights ago? Who knew _what _the time was.

A face appeared above me; dim in the night. It was a girl – that much I could tell – with dark hair that brushed her shoulders, and equally dark eyes. Whatever she was wearing was black.

"Oh, you're awake," she greeted me, with a friendly smile. I wondered vaguely if this was someone I was supposed to already know. There was nothing in my memory linked to her existence. I just stared back, hoping I wasn't being too rude.

She turned and called to someone else. "Chairman, she's awake."

A soft sound – the light creak of a door – interrupted our awkward silence, and another face appeared beside hers. This one I recognised. Strands of ebony tumbled into his eyes, which even in the darkness gleamed a dull reddish-brown. He gazed at me, again like he was trying to work out a tricky mathematics equation. The intensity made my stomach squirm.

"Oh! Kaname-senpai!" the girl gasped, starting in surprise and jumping back from the bed. She curled her hands together, shooting him a shy, clearly delighted smile. By the light flooding in from the hall I watched her peachy cheeks colour. Someone had a major crush.

"Good evening, Yuki," he replied, his voice low and smooth. And incredibly calm. Like an ocean, perfectly flat under the moon. He shifted his gaze to her, his eyes gentle. "How are you tonight?"

"Fine, thank you," she said, beaming. He inclined his head in polite acknowledgement of her answer, turning back to me. I blinked, very confused. I was lying in a bed – that much had become clear in the last few minutes – and a monstrous, old-fashioned one at that, with four-posters and velvet curtains draped aside and tied back with thick cords. But I had absolutely no idea why I was there.

"The Chairman is looking for you," the elegant male announced quietly, watching me.

"Okay," the girl replied immediately. "I'll tell him she's awake."

She flitted to the door and disappeared into the hallway. I glanced up at the tall boy nervously.

"How do you feel?" he asked. His expression was utterly unreadable; I had no idea if he was sympathetic or irritated that he was standing there talking to me.

"Confused," I replied. "How... How do you know me?"

A tiny smile crinkled his dark eyes, curling his thin lips. "I don't."

He sat down gently on the edge of the bed, still looking at me. "I'd offer you my hand, but after the last time, I doubt that would be the wisest of gestures."

I had no idea what he was talking about.

"You fainted," he explained. "At the party. You've been out for little over three hours."

Wow. Really?

"We moved you up here. You woke once, for a very short moment; not long enough to say anything, however. You've been sleeping ever since."

"Oh..." I didn't know what else to say. I pushed myself up onto my elbows, dragging my body into a sitting position. His eyes followed me, betraying nothing of what he was thinking.

"My name is Kuran Kaname," he finally introduced, another small smile playing around his perfect lips.

"Naibun," I replied. "Miyu."

He held my gaze for a quiet moment, and I wondered what the heck he was thinking about. It was making me extremely nervous. I glanced down at my hands.

Suddenly, I remembered why it was I was even at the academy. I gasped, and my hands flew to my face.

"Oh my gosh!"

"What is it?" Kaname asked, alarmed.

"I... I'm so sorry! I can't believe I fainted on the job!" I cried from between my fingers. His soft chuckle snapped me away from my moment of horrified shame. I glanced up at him, surprised.

"You don't need to worry about that," he assured me, turning his gaze to the window. Without looking back at me, he continued to speak. "We called your house... To let someone know what had happened... There was no answer."

"Oh..." I trailed off, staring fixedly at the golden doorknob. This was always a topic I was never entirely comfortable discussing. I sensed his eyes on me, and forced myself to look over.

"I don't really... have much... well, any... actually..." I was blabbering on, my cheeks reddening. One long black-brown eyebrow rose, betraying the slightest hint of amusement, though for the most part, his face remained unchanged; as serious as impassive as before. I took a deep breath, and tried again.

"I don't have any family. My parents split when I was little. My grandmother died a few years ago... I live alone."

The silence hanging over us now was heavy. I couldn't look at him, for fear I'd choke up and end up crying. Living by myself wasn't something I mourned over very often, but every now and then, I did wonder what it would be like to live in a normal environment, with loving parents and home-cooked meals every night, and televisions blaring and little siblings and dogs and cats and fish...

"Your parents..." Kaname trailed off quietly, obviously unsure of how to word his question. I chewed my lip, tucking a thick strand of messy black behind my ear. It should have been an offensive venture, but for some reason, I didn't mind that he was probing. He had a calming aura about him, and it was setting my nerves at ease.

"I don't know," I replied, glancing up at him and answering his unfinished query. "I don't have any memory of them. I was too little when they left me with my grandma. They don't... They don't make contact..."

He nodded once, not pushing it any further. I chewed my lip again.

"Kaname!" a merry voice cried, and into the room burst the Chairman. I sat up a little straighter in the bed, and the tall, white-dressed boy rose elegantly from where he sat, inclining his head in polite greeting.

"Chairman."

"Ah, you're awake," Chairman Cross noted with a considerable amount of cheer. He bounced across the room, beaming at me, his blonde bangs brushing across his glasses. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Much," I replied immediately. "Thanks... And I'm so sorry... I feel awful."

"Oh, pish!" he waved it aside. "As long as you're feeling better, there's no trouble caused."

"But, about the jo–"

"Chairman," Kaname cut across me smoothly. His eyes were fixed on the merry man with the long scarf. "I need to speak with you."

"Very well," Chairman replied, still smiling. "Miss Naibun–"

"I am absolutely one hundred percent," I assured him immediately. "A-am I... Can I go home now?"

He looked uncomfortable for a moment. "If that's what you desire."

"It is," I replied quickly. "I have to, erm... feed my... uh... cat!"

It was the first thing that popped to my mind. No doubt the expression on tall, beautiful Kaname's face indicated my excuse was far from liable, considering my big spiel about having no family and living by myself not thirty seconds ago. He said nothing, however, merely standing silently while he waited for the Chairman.

"Well, if you're sure you're fine..." Chairman Cross really didn't seem to like the idea of me running around in the middle of the night, and to be honest, I didn't either. But the faster I got out of here, the sooner I could get home to the safety of my little flat.

"I am," I promised, fighting the frustration. "Thank you so much for taking care of me."

"Our pleasure," he replied.

"Chairman?" Kaname reminded him quietly.

"Oh, yes! Now, what was it you wanted to discuss?"

"Perhaps your office would be a better place..."

"Very well, then." He turned back to me, beaming. "You're welcome back here anytime! Yuki will show you the way out."

As the pair of them moved to the door, I quickly slipped my legs out of the big wooden bed, pulling my school shoes back on. The girl I'd seen before was waiting in the hallway when I pulled the door ajar. In the light shining above us I could see now that she was wearing the same uniform as the guests in the ballroom, but the colours were reversed. Her dress was black with white lining, instead of white with black lining.

"Hi," she greeted again, with another friendly smile. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

She led me down a wide corridor with polished floorboards, the entire wall to our right lined with enormous windows, the lattice work painted jet black. Every now and then, a flickering lantern was mounted on the wall, casting a dull golden glow across the floor.

"Are you sure it's safe to head out at this time of night?" she asked, breaking the silence and glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. I didn't reply. I couldn't say whether or not it was safe; I had no idea. I just knew that it wasn't right me being here. I wasn't a student, I hadn't completed my job properly, and I'd gotten in the way of everyone.

_Yep. Best to just get out while you can, and never bother them again._

It was when we descended a wide staircase onto what appeared to be the entrance hall that I realised I was no longer in the main school building. This one was much small, it seemed, with wooden interiors like the inside of an old-fashioned boarding house, and was considerably plainer than the lavish interior of the main building, yet still traditional in its own way.

"These are the Sun Dorms," the girl – Yuki – explained, catching me looking around curiously. "Half of our students live here. The other half live in the Moon Dorms."

Lame names, if anyone was asking me, but I didn't voice this opinion. She opened the front door and the cool night air immediately snuck in, curling tendrils of hair around our faces. I shivered involuntarily. It sure was colder down here, pressed on both sides by the ocean.

"Oh, gosh!" my companion suddenly exclaimed as I followed her down a stone path twisting back towards the main building. "I never introduced myself, did I? I'm sorry. My name's Yuki."

"Miyu," I replied. She smiled at me. I would have smiled back more readily, but I'd just realised how extremely tired I was. My lack of sociability didn't seem to bother her, though, and if it did, she chose not to be offended.

"I'm the Chairman's daughter," she went on, our feet crunching against the gravel.

_I'm no-one's daughter, _I replied in my mind, glancing at her. She didn't bear much resemblance to the Chairman. In fact, she hardly looked like him at all. I wouldn't have picked that he was her father. Where he was blonde, she was brunette. Where he was excitable, she was calm. Where he was eccentric, she seemed very normal. Average, even, but in a pretty way.

Her brown eyes flicked to me, and she smiled again.

My bike was exactly where I'd left it; lying on its side on the grass. Yuki helped me pick it up, and walked with me all the way down the stone stairs, the bike bouncing along loudly next to us. She held one of the handlebars with her small, peachy hand while I set myself in place.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"More than okay," I replied, flashing her a smile through my exhaustion. I didn't know why I was so tired, especially if that Kaname boy was right and I'd slept for the last few hours. I didn't feel like I'd been asleep. I felt like I'd just run for three days straight _without _sleep. I was almost ready to fall asleep sitting on my bike. Then again, I _had _just dragged myself down those stairs... They'd make an excellent cardiac workout for someone who wanted to lose weight.

"Well... ride safely," Yuki said, stepping away as I pushed off.

"Thank you!" I tossed over my shoulder, the wind blowing my loose bangs out of my face. Down the dirt path, through the (now incredibly spooky) forest, and past the creaking, twisted black gates, which suddenly looked sinister as opposed to majestic, and I hit the bridge, pedalling along as though I were being chased by a monster.

I risked a glance over my shoulder, gazing back at the dark castle that stared emotionlessly after me, wondering how the evening had managed to turn so horribly. Then the bike wobbled, and I whipped back around, steadying the handles and pushing on.

The moment I was home, I knew something was wrong.

There was just a feeling in the air – a tight tension, if you will – that made my heart beat loudly in my chest, and my breathing sharpen. It was probably just the adrenaline of riding home in the pitch black, with all those stories of being mugged and kidnapped and raped flashing through my mind with every rotation of the wheels, but when I stumbled off my bike and wheeled it up the driveway, my eyes were darting around nervously, as though I expected someone to leap out of the shadows at any moment.

I leaned my bike against the brick wall around the side of the block and took the narrow stairs at a run, digging my hand into my pocket to get the key ready.

Except I didn't need it.

I stopped dead, grabbing the railing for support, my eyes fixed on the front door, hanging wide open, exposing the black corridor inside. I'd locked that door. I knew I had.

So that meant someone had been here while I was gone.

_Just my luck, _I grumbled mentally, bemoaning the misfortune I seemed to have suffered today. _I bet my few items of furniture have been stolen._

But I still wasn't eager to get inside and check. Not just yet.

I loitered outside, my arms and legs shaking with shock, slowly regaining from my near-heart attack, praying like mad that nothing of any sort of value had been taken. It wasn't as if I owned anything worth stealing in the first place, but there were some sick freaks out there. Who knew what might be missing.

Eventually, the night chill got the better of me, and, shivering, I approached the doorway, poking my head inside. It was dead silent in there. This did not surprise me, but it didn't relieve me, either. This was the part of the horror movie where the attacker snuck up to the unsuspecting heroine and slashed her neck open with a chainsaw, or something equally horrendous.

Creeping inside, I felt around for the light switch and flicked it, throwing the hallway into dim, yellowy light.

My flat was in absolute disarray.

The hallway floor was a mess of books, clothes, CDs, rolls of toilet paper, bags and shoes. I didn't even own many of any of them, yet they managed to _cover _the carpet. The few cheap picture framed I'd hung on the wall to liven the boring place up a bit had been knocked to the floor. Shards of glass seemed to have exploded everywhere.

Licking my suddenly dry lips, I forced my way further inside, picking my way through the mess. I glanced into the still-black kitchen. As my eyes adjusted, I made out the shapes of a few chairs scattered across the linoleum floor. From the looks of it, the fridge door was open, too, which meant water had probably dripped all over the place.

Unable to come to terms with the assault on my poor little home, I ventured down the hall, trying to avoid treading on the glass. The frames hadn't held anything sentimental; just a couple of pictures I'd drawn when I was younger, and a photograph of my wizened old grandma before she'd died, but it was still disheartening to see them lying, broken, on the ground.

My heart sinking, I bypassed the bathroom and flicked the light on in my bedroom.

It had been messy when I left.

It was unrecognisable now.

The drawers that I'd struggled to shut had been thrown around everywhere, leaving huge dents in the wall, their contents strewn everywhere. The smelly old curtains had been ripped from the rail, and my duvet had been torn cleanly in half. My school books had been reduced to a pile of shredded pages and wrecked covers, and one of my windows had been smashed.

_What the hell happened here?!_

My senses going crazy, I stiffened as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Backing into the hall, I snapped my head away from my room, glancing down the hall.

And froze.

A man stood in the doorway, silhouetted black against the night sky. It was too dark to make out his features, but he was huge. He stooped over, his posture curved to fit inside my low-roofed flat, his exaggeratedly wide shoulders almost brushing the walls of the narrow hall. He was wearing some kind of enormous black trench coat, which disguised most of his body, and his long hair tumbled roguishly into his face.

He was staring right at me.

"W-what do you want?" I cried, sensing immediately that this was the culprit of the disorder in my home. It might have been completely irrational, just blaming a stranger, who might have had absolutely nothing to do with the break-in, but something told me it was him. I just knew.

He said nothing, standing silently and staring. My stomach knotted.

"Wh-who are you?" I demanded, sounding a lot braver than I felt. All sorts of horrible things flooded to my mind. Murder. Rape. Kidnap.

He took a slight step towards me, and the dim light cast upon his face, distorting it in its weakness. I stifled a shriek.

His head was long, his jaw prominent and pointed, despite its heaviness. His cheekbones were high, his cheeks gaunt and sallow, the skin drawn tightly over the bone and muscle. His nose was long and crooked, like it had been broken and never healed properly. But it was his eyes that terrified me the most. They were sunken under his eyebrows, shaded by heavy lids, and ringed black, like raccoon patches. But the expression in them – the utter inhumanity and manic intensity – froze up my insides. I took an instinctive step backwards, and his wide, thin lips twisted into a horrible smile.

"_Bonjour, jolie fille_," he growled, his voice distorted, like he was speaking underwater. My breathing rapidly increased, my heart hammering in my chest. I felt the blood drain from my cheeks. It took me a moment to even register that he wasn't speaking English.

"What do you want?!" I shrieked shrilly. A light, mutated chuckle echoed along to me. He shifted his weight again, his head still downcast and shadowed as he leered at me.

"_Rien de signification_," he replied in what I supposed was meant to be assuring, though it was anything but. If possible, it only terrified me more. I backed away now, no longer afraid of offending the intruder. He watched me quietly, the long space between us growing until my back hit the cupboard door at the end. I could go no further.

"_Vous ne pouvez pas échapper_," the horrid creature whispered, looking idiotically delighted by this. "_Le jeu est terminé_."

_What is he talking about?!_

"_ME DONNER VOTRE SANG!_" he suddenly screamed, tossing his head back into the light, his eyes wide with anticipation. In that single half-second, the sheer animosity and unnatural desire struck me cold. He launched at me, his twisted hands closing around my shoulders before I could even gasp. He pushed his face up into mine, his fingers digging into my skin like talons.

My voice struggled out of my throat in a strangled scream of excruciation, and I thrashed in his grip, trying to break away from the claws gouging through my t-shirt. Blood ran rivers down my arms, warm and thick. The hideous man inhaled deeply through his nose, his eyes closed, like he was in some kind of heavenly delirium. Disgust twisted my face.

_He likes the smell of my __**blood**__...?_

"Get off m–!" My sentence cut itself short when the man sighed, revealing a set of long, perfectly sharpened, gleaming fangs. He opened his eyes; now glowing a brilliant, vibrant red. My heart leaped into my throat in terror. He leaned his head in close, tiling my head back and trailing his slimy tongue slowly along my neck. I stared unseeingly at the roof, too shocked to take any kind of action.

"_Votre pouls_..." he moaned. "_Donc, inviter_... _Je vais profiter de cette_."

He sucked in another breath, opening his mouth wide. His fangs brushed lightly against my skin.

_Is he...? He's not... He's going to __**bite **__me! _

Suddenly he was shrieking, choking and twisting away from me, his face a mask of pain, his eyes wide. I felt my eyelids flutter as the realisation that imminent death was no longer immediate hit me, and drew back as far as I could, ignoring the screaming pain in my shoulders. The man's body was trembling, hunching over as he coughed and spluttered violently, red-black blood dripping from his deformed lips. My eyes trailed down his body in a kind of horrified fascination.

A pale hand, smeared with rich, red blood, protruded from his stomach, the nails perfectly crescent moon-shaped. As I watched, the hand withdrew backwards, retracting into his flesh, and disappeared. He crumbled into a heap at my feet, blood seeping slowly from the gaping wound in his stomach, staining the dirty carpet almost black. He twitched and thrashed compulsively, no doubt in agony.

I raised my eyes slowly.

Kuran Kaname stood before me, his dark eyes burning into mine.

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**FRENCH:**

1. "Hello, pretty girl."

2. "Nothing of significance."

3. "You can't escape... The game is over."

4. "GIVE ME YOUR BLOOD!"

5. "Your pulse... So inviting... I'm going to enjoy this."

**If you're wondering, I do not know any French. English, yes. German, yes. Japanese, a little. French, no. Yep, I cheated and used Google Translate. So if it's wrong, then... I'm willing to accept that. It _is_ just FanFiction, after all. I'm not that fussed for perfection.**

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**Whoa... bet no-one saw that one coming! XD (I'm kidding, you guys... As if it wasn't the most obvious cliche in the series!)**

**Now, I understand that Miyu had a little Yuki moment in there, what with being saved from a vampire by Kaname and all that... But it won't be so cliched later on. **

**Anyway. If you're reading, please review :)**

**Until the next chapter,**

**Cherrie xx**


	3. Unexpected Outcomes

**Earth to FanFiction! Come in, FanFiction!**

**Is anyone out there? Because I'm starting to think life on this site might be dying out. Reviews are endangered; soon to be extinct, methinks.**

**So if you ARE in fact, alive and breathing, would you mind leaving a review? That'd be nice :)**

**Here's chapter three. Enjoy :D**

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**Grey Roses**

Unexpected Outcomes

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"Come on."

Without waiting for my response, Kaname reached out, his long arm encircling my waist, and pulled me to his side, dragging me down the hall. I strained to look over my shoulder at the dying man – why, I would never know – and he fought against me.

"Don't."

The fresh air outside hit me like a blast of cold water, and the sudden chill snapped me out of my shocked daze. Realising in one rapid moment everything that had just happened in my tiny, innocent little flat, my stomach rose into my throat and I broke away from my tall saviour to retch into the dead pot-plant on the slate terrace.

The hand on my back was meant to be soothing, but I knew by the way my eyes felt like they were about to explode out of my head, and the way my lips were trembling that I was about to break down completely.

"We can't stay here," Kaname's smooth voice murmured quietly. I couldn't look at him. I couldn't speak to him. I couldn't even acknowledge him. How could a boy – a _student _– I'd thought was gorgeous and elegant and perfect not two hours ago, just _drive_ his hand through another human's stomach? How could he... how could he _do _that?!

I heaved again, emptying the remainder of my stomach's contents, dry-retching for a moment, my fingers clenched in my hair.

_This... this has to be some horrible nightmare... this can't be happening to me..._

"Miyu–"

I shot away from him. Hearing that little touch of normality – of _humanity – _in his voice almost drove me wild. I backed away quickly, eyeing him in horror. He watched me calmly, his left hand still stained red, his expression impassive; unreadable.

"I won't hurt you."

Something in me wanted to believe him. The other ninety percent of me didn't, not after what I'd just witnessed in the hall; the cold-blooded violence he was capable of.

"He was going to kill you."

I definitely wasn't going to argue with that. I'd seen the deranged joy in his face right before he attacked. There hadn't been a moment's doubt in my mind that his intentions were to leave the house as lifeless as it had been when he'd first found it.

"You can't stay here," Kaname continued, his posture as perfect and calm as it had ever been in the short amount of time I'd known him. "You're in danger here."

"W-why?" I stammered before I could stop myself. Talking to him would lower my defences; he'd have more of a chance of catching me off-guard if he could get me talking; distract me. I refused to be distracted, taking another immediate step back when he shifted towards me.

"You shouldn't be alone," he said in a low voice, his eyes burning intensely.

_As if that answers my question! Is he deliberately dodging the truth?_

I wondered immediately what the 'truth' was; if there even _was _any. Why that man had come to my house tonight was completely beyond me. It just didn't make any sense. Unless he'd picked a house at random, of course. No... Something in his eyes had betrayed that idea. He'd definitely come for me, and me only.

"Miyu."

I forced myself to look up at Kaname. His expression hadn't changed, but there was an aura of urgency hanging around him. He looked calm, but the atmosphere was tense. His eyes didn't shift from mine for a second.

I swallowed and nodded, accepting that the best course of action would be for me to just go with him, at least for now. He might have just murdered that man back there, but he had also saved my life. I wondered how that worked in the justice system. Kill one to save another... Would he be reproved or reprieved for that?

He drew me to his side again and set off at a brisk walk. Somehow, we managed to make our way through the town, taking roads and streets I'd never seen before, on foot, and find ourselves at the end of the bridge in a much shorter time than if I'd ridden. Unless I was slipping in and out of consciousness the whole time, that was. It wouldn't have been a surprise. My poor nerves had been drawn to their limits this evening.

"We're almost there," his smooth voice said from above me. As the gates creaked open I realised that I'd been letting him lead me back to Cross Academy without even questioning him.

_So much for not letting your guard down._

And suddenly, we were in the bright light of the main building entrance hall. I winced as my eyes smarted; they'd become startlingly used to the darkness.

"Have you got her?"

"Yes."

Chairman Cross appeared before me, his hands pressing against my forehead, my cheeks. I stood still, letting him, a strange submission washing over me. I didn't care what happened now. They could take me wherever they wanted and do whatever the heck they wanted to me. I had no fight in me.

"She's exhausted," the Chairman said, frowning. "And she's not hurt?"

"Aside from the gashes in her shoulders, no."

Their voices sounded a little fuzzy, like I was listening to a television with the volume turned down.

"She needs rest. She's been through a terrible ordeal tonight. Kaname, would you mind–Yuki! Thank goodness. I need you to make up a bed for her."

I was swaying on my feet. Dangerously. I could feel my knees bending. I could _feel _the exhaustion seizing my mind. I just wanted to sleep. I let my eyes slide shut...

~o~

_... Ai... Nai... Naibun..._

I dragged myself out of my comfortable sleep, conscious that it was being interrupted. Annoyed, I forced my eyes open and turned my head to the source of the noise.

"Naibun..."

Yuki's face swam into view above me. I blinked once, twice.

_Wow. Déjà vu!_

"Let me guess," I half-yawned, half-groaned. There was some serious pain burning in my shoulders. I must've slept badly, or something, "You're going to say, 'Wow, you're awake!' or something."

Yuki laughed lightly.

"Actually, I was going to tell you that there's some breakfast here for you."

In one rapid moment, last night flooded back to me. My strangely open front door. The dark hall. The glass on the floor. The man in the doorway. Nails digging into my shoulders. A tongue licking my neck. A hand shoving through flesh. Blood.

Lots and lots of blood.

"Miyu," Yuki's voice dragged me out of my thoughts. "Are you okay? You're pale..."

"I... I think I just need a glass of water..." My voice was weak. She smiled gently at me.

"Sure. I'll get one for you."

She disappeared before I could say thank you.

And before I could gather my thoughts and work out what was even going on, someone else was standing in the doorway.

He watched me quietly. I stared back, unable to speak.

"You think I'm a monster."

_Strange thing to say to someone who's just woken up..._

I didn't answer at first. I wasn't even sure of that myself.

"I know _he _was."

"Yes. He was."

I sighed tiredly, pushing myself up in the bed. Honestly, it was like last night was just repeating itself... during the day. Like a stuck record. It was all very surreal.

"So... Here we are again," I said awkwardly. "You can come in, if you want. You don't have to stand in the doorway."

He didn't move. But I thought he acknowledged the offer. His face looked softer somehow, though his expression hadn't changed a bit.

"Do you know why that man was at my house last night?" I ventured, the first to speak after a considerable pause during which Kaname had gazed thoughtfully out the window.

He didn't answer. But he looked at me, his eyes full of something I couldn't read. I took a stab at bemusement. He looked a little curious, like he was speculating about me, or something. It made me a little uncomfortable. I shifted to make myself more comfortable, forgetting my damaged shoulders, and hissed back a cry of pain.

"Be careful."

"Thanks," I muttered sourly, shooting a glower at him. His eyes, still fixed on me, were shining with the slightest trace of laughter.

"Your shoulders have been cleaned and bandaged," he told me, strolling quietly to the window and gazing calmly out. "I wouldn't recommend playing lacrosse anytime soon."

"I don't play lacrosse," I assured him, without thinking. I mentally kicked myself.

_He probably just attempted a joke, and you gave some dumb response. Good one, Miyu._

"Hockey, then." I could tell from the tone of his voice that he knew I didn't play hockey, either. This time, I had sense enough not to reply.

"I'm back," a merry voice announced, and we both turned to watch Yuki walk in, a glass of water in her hand. "Oh! Kaname-senpai!"

"Good morning, Yuki," Kaname replied, smiling softly at her. She set the glass of water down on the table, and threw a warm smile in return. I glanced between them subtly, sensing the connection they shared. There was a strong bond between the pair; I could almost read it on their faces, even Kaname's, which had managed to stay impassive _again._

His eyes hovered on her as she smoothed the skirt of her uniform, and I watched him curiously. Right now, he had no idea that I was looking at him, and the expression burning in his eyes was one I was sure he didn't allow in the presence of others. A subtle yearning simmered in those pools of mahogany; a yearning I knew immediately that she was utterly oblivious to.

The tall, god-like boy had had his heart stolen.

Kaname dragged his gaze from her, and it fell on me. Wordlessly, I raised one eyebrow, letting him know that I had seen. He blinked one, and turned to stare out the window.

"Naibun-san!" Chairman Cross danced into the room, his scarf swinging down his back. He glanced around the room, surprised, and corrected himself. "Everyone." He frowned a little, his eyes confused behind his glasses. "Yuki, shouldn't you be in class?"

"I was just about to go," she promised him, flashing the impassive boy by the window a glance.

"You're already late," the Chairman scolded lightly. "You'll fall behind if you're not careful."

I found it highly odd that the headmaster of the school didn't really seem to care that his students ran around wagging their classes all the time. He was speaking to her now as a father, not as a principal. He should have been handing her a detention.

"Okay, I'm going," Yuki replied. She smiled at me. "I'll come and check on you in my break, okay?"

"Uh... sure..."

She flashed us a bright smile and left, flicking her brown hair out from her collar as she went.

"Kaname–" the Chairman started, shooting a pointed, meaningful glance the boy's direction.

"I know."

Without another word, he turned and strolled elegantly from the room, looking at me out of the corner of his eye as he disappeared through the door. I blinked up at the Chairman, wondering what he was going to say to me.

"Naibun-san," he began again, cheerful. "How are you this morning?"

"Fine, thanks," I replied. He nodded, satisfied.

"You haven't eaten your breakfast," he noted, frowning at the tray I'd yet to notice, sitting on the table beside the bed. "Don't you like my cooking?"

"I–_your_... uh... I haven't had a chance to eat yet," I offered. He perked up again immediately.

"Well, tell me what you think. I made it especially for you."

"Um... thanks."

_Weird... This guy is so weird. But he's nice, I guess..._

"Naibun-san," the Chairman began. Obviously whatever he was about to say was something he'd given some serious thought to, because he looked extremely excited. I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. But what he said next was the last thing I would have ever expected.

"I want you to transfer."

"Transfer?" I asked blankly. "Transfer... where?"

"Why, here, of course!" He beamed at me.

_Here? Does he mean...?_

"As in... _Cross Academy_?" My voice was almost overflowing with incredulity.

"I think it would be the safest place for you."

I blinked at him. Where on earth had he come up with this idea? And, more importantly, _why_?

"Well... aren't you excited?" he asked, frowning. Apparently my reaction wasn't what he was hoping for.

"I... Yes!" I said quickly, because it was obvious he wanted me to say that. "But... I just... I can't afford to come here..."

"Consider yourself a scholarship student," the Chairman said merrily. "You don't have to worry about your fees."

My head was whirling. This was all very sudden. _Me_, a student at the most prestigious, private academy in the province? This _had _to be a dream, this time. This sort of stuff just didn't happen in reality.

"Now, I'll have you fitted for a uniform this afternoon, and we'll have your books ordered by this evening–"

"Chairman?" I interrupted, after some serious thought. He fell silent and look at me obligingly.

"This has something to do with the break in, doesn't it?" I asked, looking him fully in the eye. He glanced away, and my inner voice laughed in triumph. _I knew it. _Something inside me had been niggling away this entire time. I had the feeling there was more to last night's incident than I was being told. And now I knew I was right.

"I'm not comfortable with you going back out there by yourself," he replied.

_Why? _I wanted to ask him. _It has absolutely nothing to do with you._ And besides, I'd lived alone for the last good few years of my life. I wasn't going to freak out and melt down because I had one unsettling little bump. Unless he was going to change his mind and let me in on what was going on.

"So," Chairman Cross began again, cheerful once more. "This will be your room from now on." He swept his gaze around its interior, and I found myself imitating him. The wallpaper was blue and white, and old-fashioned, but in a way that was stylish, not tasteless. An antique oak wardrobe stood proudly in the corner, and the curtains – drawn at the moment – were thick and velvety. The polished floorboards shone in the morning sun, which was also reflected in the enormous, gilded mirror standing in the corner, gold and embroidered, and very impressive.

"I'll have Yuki bring up your new timetable later on, when she brings your lunch," he continued. I didn't know what to say. His generosity was beyond necessary. And it looked like everything was steamrolling ahead anyway, regardless of my decision to accept or not.

"Chairman Cross?"

"Yes, my dear?" He smiled at me.

"Can I go home and get my things today?"

He frowned uncomfortably. "Not today. You shouldn't go back there just yet. It's not safe. Maybe this weekend."

I nodded, realising that I was just going to have to be content with that. The Chairman crossed to the door, all smiles again.

"You should get some more rest. You must still be exhausted."

I forced a small smile, and he disappeared into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him. I stared at it for a long moment, running over everything in my mind. Then I sighed, long and heavy, and relaxed back against the stupid amount of pillows decorating the covers, gazing up at the interior of the expensive four-poster bed.

Something was definitely going on. Something that involved me, somehow. That much was almost painfully obvious. Something that the Chairman knew about, and Kaname, too. The way they kept exchanging _looks _was giving the game away. Whatever it was, it was enough for them to suddenly take an interest in me and my boring little life. Enough for someone to try and kill me. Enough for my safety – there it was, that word again – to be completely jeopardised.

And somehow, amongst all of this, I'd become Cross Academy's brand-new transfer student.

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**Yay for Miyu :)**

**I like her. When I first started writing this, I didn't really like her personality. But her 'voice' has rather grown on me.**

**Hmm... So she's getting suspicious. Oo-er... I wonder what this big theory of hers could entail... You'll just have to read on to find out ;)**

**Thanks for reading. The review button's right there, people... JUST THERE. **

**Until the next chapter,**

**Cherrie xx**


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